


After the Fire

by GabrielaM



Category: Teenage Bounty Hunters (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Author has only seen the show once but loves it and will defend it to the death, Author recently binge-watched 7 seasons of the GBBO(S) and it shows, Bisexual Female Character, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian Character, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, The baking competition ff that nobody asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27599897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GabrielaM/pseuds/GabrielaM
Summary: In the wake of April and Sterling's breakup and Sterling's traumatic experience, how can they build a bridge back to one another? Real conversations and participation together in a baking competition help them to find their way.
Relationships: April Stevens/Sterling Wesley
Comments: 19
Kudos: 107





	1. After the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Hello All - this is my first ever fan fiction and the first fiction I have written since high school, lo these many many years ago. I spent the last umpteen years writing technical analyses for a large school district so my apologies if this story is a little dry. I love this show! I feel like it is so important in depicting LGBTQIA+ characters as normal, so youths (and other viewers) can see that they are not alone. Recent viewing led me to want to combine TBH with a few elements of the Great British Baking Show into one story and see if Stepril could reconcile. Who would ever doubt that April Stevens, in addition to all of her other talents, is also a Master Baker?
> 
> I'll update with a new chapter every couple of days. Happy reading!

After the night of the lock-in and Sterling’s kidnapping, April and Sterling didn’t interact for the rest of the school semester. There was none of the earlier animosity April had showed towards Sterling prior to their secret relationship, rather they each exhibited an almost ignorance of one another’s existence. Sterling seemed a different person to April since the night of the lock-in: she never showed interest in anything in or outside of schoolwork, and her expressions were simply joyless. She barely lifted her head when walking Willingham’s hallways. It was almost as if she were just going through the motions of life, weighed down by a secret tragedy. Ellen Johnson, while ignorant of the exact nature of Sterling's issues, sensed the new vibe between the girls and didn’t pressure them to work together again.

The Willingham Academy gossip train ran riot with conjecture of what had happened to Sterling to make her act this way. Several theories made the rounds, ranging from alien abduction (this was posited by Hannah B, who had been watching way too much of the History Channel) to delayed damage from her breakup with Luke. Blair and Sterling had told no one of the trauma Sterling had suffered and did not invite discussion of the subject. They could always be found together, Blair in an over-protective bodyguard role that kept other students and their questions at bay.

A master of compartmentalization, April put all romantic thoughts of Sterling Wesley into a neat, tidy section of her brain labeled “Do Not Touch”. She concentrated solely on her academics, and a significant portion of her previous bitchy persona seemed to have evaporated. She just didn’t have the strength - or the inclination - any more. After the school semester ended, April went to work at the church camp she had attended as a young girl and at which she had been a counselor for the past two years. Three days before the camp ended she had a conversation with another counselor, Jamie, who was new to the camp that year. Jamie was pretty in a tomboyish way, with short, dark hair and a pierced eyebrow. April had wondered if she might be a lesbian but this being a church camp she had never broached anything that even came close to the potential minefield of sexual identity.

April was walking towards the camp’s shallow lake with Jamie to pick up their youthful charges from a canoeing lesson. They were discussing some current political issues, Jamie appearing to lean a little to the political left. She had also recently mentioned being excited to receive a call from her “special someone”. April was curious to know how much Jamie would tell her. “Are you looking forward to going home in three days and seeing your special someone?”

Jamie’s face took on a dreamy expression. “So much. It’s been really difficult for us to be apart for three months. We just got together right before school ended for the semester. I had never had a relationship before. I liked this person for a long time, and it was the best feeling when I found out they actually liked me back.”

_This person_. April felt hopeful and decided to plunge in with both feet. “Um, is this person by any chance a female?”

A shadow of fear flickered in Jamie’s eyes. This was, after all, a southern Christian camp.

“It’s fine if it is! I won’t judge you! Love is love, as far as I'm concerned!” April wanted to let Jamie know immediately that she was at least an LGBTQIA+ ally, though she hadn’t yet decided whether to share her own identity.

“Yes - she’s female. Her name is Taylor. She’s the most beautiful girl, and the kindest, sweetest person I’ve ever met. I already know I love her, even though we haven’t been together very long.” She looked directly at April. “You aren’t going to say anything to anyone, are you?”

April took a deep breath and spilled the words rapidly. “Of course not. Um, actually, I’m a lesbian, too. God is not going to smite us for our feelings because God is love, and loving someone cannot be wrong, even if they are the same sex.” She decided to put it all out there. “I had a secret girlfriend a few months ago. She was my first. We were only together a week, but I really really liked her.” Jamie’s eyes grew large and round. “Only a week???” she blurted. “What happened?”

It was difficult to keep the tears from forming in the corners of April’s eyes. “She wanted to come out together and I _just couldn’t._ My parents are homophobic bigots. I was so incredibly afraid of what would happen to me if they found out. They’d probably kick me out of the house and send me to conversion therapy. I just couldn’t take the risk.”

It was the first time April had told anyone about her brief relationship that had changed her life so much. After suppressing her feelings about it for months, now everything came bubbling to the surface. It was like the mud pots she had once seen on a family trip to Yellowstone Park. Boiling and spitting, they could not be contained. “Her name is Sterling. She’s the prettiest girl in the school, incredibly kind and nice to everyone, and so, so smart. She had a boyfriend for a long time, but then she broke up with him and told me she liked me. She’s tall and blonde and beautiful. We were happy together. I’d had crushes on other girls before, but had never felt anything for anyone what I felt for her.”

“How did your breakup happen?”

“We had a lock-in at school - an overnight with all of the students. Sterling told me she wanted to sleep next to me and hold my hand, and if someone saw us we shouldn’t care. I just couldn’t do it. I was too afraid. And instead of telling her that first, I blindsighted her by flirting with her ex-boyfriend“ (Jamie’s eyebrows raised at this) “and was really mean to her. _Then_ I told her we were breaking up. She cried, and ended up leaving the lock-in with her mom. And when she came back to school the next week she acted completely different and strange. We didn’t speak - she wouldn’t even look at me. I know something else happened to her that night after she left, but nobody I’ve talked to knows what it was. I wish I had handled it differently. It’s weird. Her sister - they’re twins - wouldn’t let me or anyone else anywhere near her.”

“Ouch. That’s…not good, April. Sounds like she really liked you and might have understood your fears if you guys could have just…talked. Her sister is just being protective because you hurt her. And you won’t be living at home forever. Next year you’ll be on your own and won’t have to be so afraid of your parents finding out.” The specter of independence was the one bright spot on April’s horizon.

Jamie continued. “I’m sad that things with Sterling didn’t work out for you. Maybe you could at least try to talk to her again? You could start with that. If she’s as great as you said she is, she’d probably be willing to listen. You obviously still have feelings for her. She might feel the same way. Maybe you could get back together someday?”

_Maybe someday_. The words echoed in April’s brain. She had spoken these very words to Sterling at the lock-in, offering a lifeline for the two of them. Sterling had rejected it. Maybe she thought April wasn’t worth it. Maybe she would rather be with someone who wasn’t such a closet case. Maybe….

_Maybe maybe maybe_. It occurred to April that Sterling had deserved much more than April had given her as explanation for their breakup, even if Sterling had pushed too hard for them to come out as a couple. Why did April have to flirt with Luke? Why did she have to hurt Sterling like that? Startled out of her reverie by Jamie, she spoke matter of factly. “I don’t think so. She won’t even look at me now. And nothing has changed about my situation. My parents, especially my dad, are so hateful and homophobic; it seems like they get worse every day. I’m just hoping they get a divorce soon.”

“Sounds like they don’t exactly embody true Christianity. Jesus came to teach love, not hate. God loves us all, even gays and lesbians!”

“My dad’s behavior is literally the opposite of Christian. He spits on homeless people. He and his more powerful friends are all corrupt. He visits prostitutes and assaults them. He’s already been to jail for it once, but in the trial he got off on a technicality - that being he’s a white male who knew the judge. It’s disgusting. And my mom drinks too much and simpers after him. She thinks it’s HER fault he goes to prostitutes because she’s not a good enough wife to keep his attention. They fight all the time. Our house is a war zone. I hate living with them, and I’m terrified of them finding out I’m a lesbian.”

Jamie sighed. “I’m sorry, April. I think you’re a nice person and you deserve good things. Please at least consider talking to Sterling. I’ll give you my number and when you go back home you can text me if you’d like to talk. Things will get better - I promise you!”

The two girls neared the lake and their campers and the conversation was over. Camp ended three days later and April went home. But the conversation with Jamie stuck with her through the next few weeks. She mulled over it again the last Thursday night before school started again on Monday, alone, in her room. If she were to attempt to talk to Sterling, would Sterling listen? Would Blair even allow her to get close enough to Sterling that April could pour out all of the feelings she didn’t get to tell her at the lock-in? April was pessimistic. Maybe it was better to just leave Sterling alone. April could just focus on her academics and college applications, and wait until she actually got to college to try a relationship again. It was much safer that way.

Friday morning brought a call from Ellen Johnson at Willingham Academy. She was setting up her classroom for the coming year, and could April possibly come and lend a Christian hand? April readily agreed; anything was better than staying home with her angry father and drunk, witless mother.

She arrived at the school at about 9:00. Ellen hugged her. “Hi darlin’! Thank y’all so much for helping out! I’ve been busier than a one-legged cat in a sandbox! I’ve got a ton of boxes in my Volvo - let’s bring them in first.”

They toted boxes for the next half hour, and then April assisted in moving chairs and tables around the room in a circular pattern. Ellen called it a “Sharing Circle”, but April figured it was really Ellen’s way of keeping an eye on the less diligent students in the bunch who tended to follow fewer of the Lord’s directives when not under direct supervision.

“April, honey, have you seen Sterling Wesley recently?”

April’s throat ran dry at Ellen’s seemingly innocent question. “No, we aren’t really friends. Besides, I was at Camp Righteous until a couple of weeks ago.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. I thought maybe y’all had gotten a little closer near the end of the last semester and it seems like Sterling could have used a friend this summer. She went through a traumatic event with her family.”

Traumatic event? Was this what the dark whispers at school had been speculating about prior to last semester’s end? April’s heart stalled. Sterling had a traumatic event? HER Sterling? She stumbled over her words while trying to look uninterested. “Wh-what happened to Sterling?”

“Honey, you’re not going to believe this but she got kidnapped by a relative and held for ransom! I saw her mother at the Piggly Wiggly early this summer and she gave me the short version. I guess there was some sort of a shootout and her boss from work, her mom, and Blair came to her rescue. I’m really not sure of the particulars, but it sounded bad. I had been wondering why Sterling was acting so strangely at school after the lock-in, and even asked her about it but she declined to spill the beans.”Ellen grimaced. “I’d love to know the details.” She thought for a minute. “I suppose it’s possible that I had Debbie Wesley trapped in the cat food aisle and she gave me just enough information to satisfy my curiosity and then escape.”

The image of Debbie Wesley trying to gracefully make an exit from the garrulous but kindly Ellen would have seemed comical if Ellen’s words weren’t washing over April like a tidal wave. _Sterling was kidnapped. Sterling could have died. I almost lost her and I never told her how I felt about her_.

“Now please don’t say anything to the other students about Sterling, okay?” Sensing she had committed an indiscretion Ellen pleaded for April’s silence in the matter. April assured Ellen she had no intention of spreading the news, citing Proverbs 11:13: “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” Not recognizing herself as a babbler, Ellen was pleased.

Noon rolled around and Ellen beamed at April with gratitude. “Honey, thank y’all so much for helping me get myself together, bless your heart! I’ll see you on Monday, bright and early! God be with y’all!”

April proceeded to her car on autopilot, stumbled inside and rested her head back for a while prior to starting the engine. Her brain felt like it was short-circuiting. She couldn’t prevent the mental images of a helpless and frightened Sterling that pervaded her consciousness.

Confusion reigned. Should she try to talk to Sterling? Would Sterling even speak to her? Would Sterling deign to give her time to the girl that wouldn’t fight for their relationship? And then an even more depressing thought crept in - was April always going to be such a coward? Maybe she wasn’t good enough for Sterling. Maybe Sterling deserved better than someone like April - although April was certain she had been an upgrade from Luke! Someone who was brave enough to show Sterling every single day what she meant to them (she pondered the pronoun, deciding to leave it un-gendered as Sterling was bisexual). Her head hurt. Her thoughts were spiraling…

_No_. A steely resolve came to April. She was an intelligent, reasonably attractive, assertive Christian woman. She was Fellowship Leader and Captain of the Debate Team. She even had her own hashtag #AprilhelpssickkidsthroughChrist. She _could_ be brave, she thought, recalling her conversation with Jamie at camp, proud that she had finally trusted someone with her secret: telling Jamie she was gay had been incredibly liberating. Thinking about this gave April inspiration. She wanted Sterling to know how she felt. She was going to talk to Sterling tomorrow and Sterling was going to listen.


	2. The Fire Still Burns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April pays a visit Sterling at Yogurtopia where they thrash things out (metaphorically). April finds out some things she'd probably rather not have known but works through them, and the girls agree to try a friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter seems quite a bit longer than the first. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Trigger Warning - panic attack  
> I've only had a panic attack once in my life and it was terrifying. My heart goes out to all those who suffer from them.

The clock read 3:30 PM when April finally worked up her nerve to drive to Yogurtopia. Earlier she had prepared a script for her conversation with Sterling in her head, but then dithered over it for two hours prowling around her bedroom, restless and anxious. She knew she still had feelings for Sterling, but were they reciprocated? She was afraid of the ramifications of “yes” and the emotional devastation of “no”. She connected the bluetooth on her phone to the car stereo and began her journey, still agonizing over whether she would actually go through with it. Shortly before arriving at Yogurtopia, “Slow Burn” started playing on the stereo. April had actively avoided hearing the song since the breakup but had forgotten to omit it from the playlist she selected for the drive. Well, surely this had to be a sign. She might as well go for it, and if Sterling wasn’t willing to talk to her then April would have her answer, wouldn’t she?

April parked at Yogurtopia and ducked through the entrance, hearing the tinkle of bell above the door. Thankfully the shop was empty, and she approached the counter. She could hear Blair in a back room. “Sterl! Customer! I’m trying to finish my song lyrics. Can you please _please_ go out there? I’ll love you for-evvver!”

April could feel Sterling’s eye roll all the way from the front room. She would have smiled at this if she hadn’t felt so edgy. Sterling strode into the room looking down at her phone and April’s heart caught in her chest. The past three months had been good to the Wesley twin. She was still pale, but the former depressive air she had displayed in school - it had surrounded her like a heavy blanket - was gone. She wasn’t exactly _perky_ , but she wasn’t the walking zombie she had been. Her hair was flat, combed straight down. April loved this look on her.

“Sterling…” April could barely get the word out, suddenly tongue-tied.

Sterling jumped at April’s voice, bringing her eyes up to meet April’s. “April”, she whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“I had…I had to talk to you. Please, Sterling. I know you probably don’t want to see me or ever talk to me again. I understand that and I understand why. I just…I just was hoping maybe I could talk to you, maybe explain a little, maybe…” April’s carefully constructed mental script failed her and her voice trailed off. Unnerved at being so close to the Wesley twin, she unconsciously grabbed at her ponytail, twisting it and pulling it in a downward motion.

Sterling’s gaze followed April’s hand. Her voice was resigned but devoid of the bitterness that her words belied. “I thought you said it all the night of the lock-in. I pushed you too hard to come out, you treated me like crap and flirted with my ex-boyfriend - that was messed up, by the way - and you then said you felt unsafe because of your father. You broke up with me, and didn’t try to talk to me again after that. Honestly, I’d thought you’d moved on. What changed?”

April dropped her ponytail and took a deep breath. “I spent the summer at Camp Righteous. I made friends with another one of the counselors and one day we really talked about our lives - she told me she was gay and then I came out to her.” Sterling’s blue eyes widened at this admission. “I told her about us, Sterling. I told her how I felt about you, and how scared I was of my father finding out. She advised me to try talking to you about it, so at least you would know how I feel.”

Sterling keyed in on April’s use of the word “feel”, rather than the past tense “felt”. “And how is that, exactly?” Sterling’s eyes centered on April’s and her gaze was unswerving. April felt like Sterling was looking right _through_ her.

“How is what - what is, I mean what?” Trapped by Sterling’s scrutiny, April lost the thread of the conversation.

“How do you feel? About me?” Sterling was going for the direct approach. “Because after you broke up with me you sure seemed like you had no thoughts about me one way or another.”

They were entering deep waters now. April could hear Blair in the back room and became suddenly aware that she did not want to have this conversation anywhere near the overprotective Wesley twin. “Can we please go outside to talk?”

Sterling shrugged her shoulders. She came from behind the counter towards April and led her outside. Two picnic tables sat at the far end of the parking lot. Sterling sat down at the first table. April sat across from her.

April’s voice was hoarse but she forced herself to look directly into Sterling’s sapphire blue eyes. “Okay. The only way to say this is to just say it. I still have feelings for you. I've missed you and I still want to be with you. I’m so, so sorry about the way I acted at the lock-in. I shouldn’t have flirted with Luke - it wasn’t fair to either of you - and I shouldn’t have treated you so badly. I wish I hadn't broken us up. I was so afraid of people finding out about us, especially my father, that I couldn’t think straight.”

Sterling couldn’t resist the obvious joke. “Literally.”

“What?” April didn’t get it.

“You aren’t straight so you couldn’t think straight…” Sterling’s voice trailed off. “Never mind. I still don’t understand why you ignored me for the rest of the school year. Then I don’t see or hear from you all summer and now all of a sudden you’re all hot to tell me about your _feelings_.” Sterling’s emphasis on the last word had a slight mocking tone.

“My feelings for you didn’t just end when I broke us up, Sterling. I pushed them away, and I thought I could keep them suppressed. When I talked about you to Jamie - that’s my camp counselor friend - everything came roaring back, and I didn’t want to keep it all stuffed in any longer. I had to talk to you.”

“Oooo-kay…” Sterling was processing. “It’s nice to know you actually HAD feelings for me and they didn’t just disappear when we broke up. It sure seemed that way. But,” and her voice sharpened, “I still don’t understand why you’re here _now_.”

“I thought you might need a friend.”, said April gently. Sterling gave April a pointed look, and April didn’t have any choice but to continue. “Not just any friend. Me.”

“I really didn’t think you wanted to be friends. We weren’t really friends before we…got together. Actually…friends, hell! You’ve hated me since the fifth grade.”

Sterling was right, but April doggedly continued the conversation. “I went to help Ellen Johnson yesterday at Willingham. She said she saw your mom at the supermarket a month ago. She told me what happened to you, Sterling. The night of the lock-in, after we…talked. After you left with your mom. She said you were kidnapped and held for ransom, and you could have gotten shot. That’s _huge_ , Sterling. That’s a fucking traumatic event.” (April could almost hear Sterling’s implicit “Language!” at the profanity.) “When I heard this I realized why you were acting strangely all the rest of the school year. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you then. I want to be there for you now.”

Sterling’s eyes lost focus as she drifted back to that awful night. “I was so sad after seeing you with Luke and then you broke up with me. It hurt so much. I could only think of getting away. I hadn’t called my mom to come get me, but then she just appeared in daddy’s truck, the answer to my prayers. So of course I left with her. It wasn’t my mom, it was my aunt. But I didn’t know I had an aunt, let alone my mom’s _twin_ aunt.”

The faraway look in her eyes intensified. “Her nails were ragged and she had been smoking cigarettes. My mom would never go out of the house with ragged nails, and she would _never_ smoke. I know something was wrong. But she wouldn’t let me out of the truck and took me to a crappy trailer park and her scumbag boyfriend.”

Sterling shuddered and her voice trembled. “They tied me up and shoved old stockings in my mouth so I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get away.” She was sobbing now, losing track of her current surroundings as she transported back to that painful event. “It’s so dark and I can’t breathe! I’ll never see my family again! I’m going to die!” Her breathing was uneven, she was taking great gulps of air, choking on sobs and beginning to hyperventilate.

In a flash, April was jumping up from her seat and at Sterling’s side. “Sterling! You’re okay. You’re okay now. You’re safe. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. I need you to breathe with me, okay? Breathe with me. We’ll do it together. Ready?” She put her arm around Sterling. “Focus on my voice, Sterling. I'm here with you. I need you to breathe from your stomach, okay? Breathe in:1- 2 - 3 - 4 - 5. Hold it for 5. Breathe out 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5. Feel your stomach expand when you breathe in. Breathe: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -5, hold it for 5, Out: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5. Let’s keep it going.”

April led the distraught Sterling through ten breathing sequences in all. Sterling’s breathing evened out and she began get her equilibrium back. The tears flowed in earnest now. April’s heart was heavy at the thought of Sterling - beautiful, intelligent, silly, kind Sterling - suffering at the hands of her own relative - and still suffering months later.

The front door to Yogurtopia opened suddenly, and a very concerned Blair burst out. She quickly took in the scenario - a weeping Sterling sitting on the bench, April standing next to her, hand rubbing Sterling’s back.

“What the ACTUAL FUCK, Stevens??? Get off her!” Blair’s voice wasn't loud but it held a deadly undertone.

A startled April launched a foot in the air. Sterling turned around on the bench to face her sister.

“Dammit, Stevens, haven’t you done enough? You already broke her heart once, now you have to do it again? She doesn’t need any more of your crap! Get - away - from - my - sister!” Blair’s words took on a menacing staccato.

“I didn’t…I wasn’t…” April couldn’t even get the words out.

“Blair, it’s okay!” Sterling spoke in an even tone. “I had another panic attack. April helped me through it. She’s not hurting me, she’s helping. Please. It’s okay, I promise. I want to talk to her.”

With a final glare at April, Blair gave Sterling an “it’s your funeral” look and headed back inside. Sterling looked at April. “Thanks for talking me down. The panic attacks don’t happen very often any more. I’ve been seeing a counselor for a couple of months, and she has helped me a lot with things. But sometimes I don’t see it coming. I think I was just so shocked to see you, and then what you said about still liking me, and…when you mentioned what happened to me that night, it was just overwhelming.”

“I never want to be the cause of any pain to you, Sterl, and I am deeply sorry that I ever have been - then and now.”

April’s use of her nickname and offering of apology was a balm to Sterling’s rattled nerves. This, coupled with the successful conquest of a panic attack and April’s declaration of feelings gave her a sensation of cautious enthusiasm. April was still standing very close to her and Sterling remembered how wonderful it had felt to be in her arms when they were together. She felt warm and even a little sweaty. She rubbed her palms on her thighs, searching her heart for a moment. She needed to be completely honest with April. “I still have feelings for you, too. I was crazy about you, April. I thought I was in -.”

She quickly cut off the sentence, afraid to say it out loud. April’s heart leapt at what she knew this admission would have been. “But with everything else that happened after that, I wasn’t really able to take a lot of time to think about us - if there could even ever be an “us” again. You hurt me, really badly. I mean, as the saying goes, ‘once bitten, twice shy’.”

This was logical. April nodded and Sterling continued. “I don’t know if your family situation has changed, but I’m assuming it hasn’t. I don’t want you to have to live in fear, and I don’t want to get all emotionally invested in you again just to get my heart shattered when you’re too scared to be seen with me and dump me for the second time. I know what it feels like to lose you. It hurts. Why would I do that to myself again?“

“What if we were to try just spending some time together - as friends?” April asked tentatively.

“There’s one more thing you need to know.” Sterling’s voice was hesitant. “Well, two I guess. All cards on the table, I mean.” Her nose crinkled (adorably, thought April), and she continued. “Cards…table…what’s with the poker analogy, Wesley? Get it together!”

April looked at her expectantly, unsure of what else Sterling could possibly have to confess.

“After you dumped me that night, Luke came outside. I kissed him and said we should get back together.” Sterling ran all the words together, trying to skip over it quickly. She hung her head slightly and looked off in the distance, ashamed.

“THAT’S how much I meant to you? So you jumped back together with your ex-boyfriend the minute we broke up???” April was incredulous. And angry. Sterling remember all too well what an angry April did to her and pushed that thought quickly away.

“It was just a gut reaction to losing you! I felt so awful inside! I just needed comfort - something familiar. It really didn’t mean anything. I didn’t - I don’t - feel anything romantically for him. Luke and I were done and I should have left it that way. Blair dumped him for me a few days later. Poor guy - he didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry, April. I’m being completely truthful when I say that I don’t have any feelings for Luke.”

April blew out a long breath, trying to push away her annoyance - though some of it was aimed at herself. She knew she needed to get over the Sterling/Luke pairing in its entirety - the relationship they had had was completely unrelated to her relationship with Sterling. And besides, the Bible was very clear about envy, calling it “rottenness to the bones”. April didn’t want rotten bones.

“Okay, I get it. I guess I’m not mad at you for that. I understand why you did what you did. I’m sorry I hurt you. And I’m glad you’re done with him.”

“Soooo…that leaves the other matter.” Sterling hesitated a minute, then dove in. “Blair and I - we’re bounty hunters.” Completely unexpected was an understatement. April stared at her, mouth agog.

“Our boss - his name is Bowser - gives us the name of a “skip” (Sterling used air quotes here), “and we track him. Or her! Women can be criminals too! Smash the patriarchy!” Sterling launched a closed fist into the air and April giggled at this in spite of herself. She had missed Sterling’s goofiness without even realizing it. Sterling continued: “We put handcuffs on them and take them to jail where they have to reschedule their court date. Then we get paid by Bowser’s boss. It’s a great job! Blair and I love it!”

“Well, it sounds dangerous to me, and I seriously do not see how you are getting away with it, given that you are only 17 and probably need a license to do that. But I’m not going to try to keep you from doing something you love.” April responded.

That went well. Sterling was encouraged, but she knew the worst was yet to come. “There’s one other thing…one of the skips we tracked down and arrested…it was your dad. He assaulted a prostitute and missed his court date. We went after him at your lake house. He tried to get away from us and I had to hit him with the butt of my pistol.”

April’s jaw set rigidly. “April, I’m sorry this hurt you and your family! I really am! It was before you and I…before we got together. It wasn’t personal, really, even though you had been blackmailing me about having sex with Luke at the time. And he also threatened me and Blair and called us the ‘C-Word’!”

April’s world tilted on its axis. _Sterling_ was the reason her father went to jail. _Sterling_ broke up her family. _Sterling_ lied to her. It all made sense now. Her father’s anger at the Wesley twins and asking questions about them. Were she and Blair secretly laughing at poor, clueless April as they arrested her father? Had their relationship just been a joke to Sterling? How could Sterling do this to her? April reflected that it had probably been pretty easy for Sterling to forget about it when they were making out; Sterling’s warm hands drifting over April’s skin while kissing her deeply in the back seat of the Volt.

She almost lashed out automatically at Sterling but took a deep breath instead, trying to dial back her anger. Pinching the skin above her nose between her fingertips she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Wait a minute, Stevens. Wait just a minute. Your dad _assaulted a woman_. Prostitute or not, she didn’t deserve that and it was _illegal_. Your dad was responsible for his own actions. April’s cooler head prevailed, but Sterling wasn’t entirely off the hook. She exhaled noisily, pursing her lips and blowing.

“I seem to recall one of the things we discussed when we were together was _telling the truth_. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Sterling looked miserable. “I was afraid to. I liked you _so_ much and it seemed like things were going so well with us that I was afraid to bring it up. I was scared to lose you. Turns out, I lost you anyway, so I wish I _had_ told you. I understand if this is a deal breaker on our new friendship.”

“No. No, Sterling, it isn’t a deal breaker for me. My father reaped what he sowed. I actually do understand why you didn’t tell me. I don’t like it that you weren’t honest, but I do get why. This doesn’t change my feelings about you and I want to move past this. I’m still okay with the idea of trying friendship if you are. A friendship isn’t going to make my dad suspicious of me, and I’m pretty sure my parents are going to divorce at some point anyways so even if he is…well, hopefully they’ll split sooner, rather than later, and I won’t have to worry about it.”

Friendship was a new dimension in their relationship. Sterling nodded eagerly at April’s statement, almost afraid to acknowledge that they could have a new beginning. “I’m sure we are going to have some classes together this year so we’ll be able to be together.” Realizing how “be together” sounded, Sterling blushed. “You know what I mean. Maybe we could ease into it? Our friendship, I mean! I know it will take some time for your trust in me to rebuild.”

April’s mouth turned up at the corner - her first actual smile since arriving at Yogurtopia. The combination of Sterling wanting to please April, wanting to take this step with April, and knowing that she and Sterling could maybe actually be friends made her feel giddy. She forced an air of casualness. “Well, I’ve got AP Chem, AP English, Advanced Spanish, AP Calculus, Bible Study and a Study Hall. You’re probably in a couple of those at least. And debate.”

Sterling beamed. “Three of them, actually; the Chem, English, and Spanish. You know I suck at math, so AP Calc is out. And I’m not sure how the Chem is going to go. But I’ll be doing debate again, too. So, um, on Monday - maybe you’ll say hello to me? Maybe one day we could sit together at lunch?”

Her voice held such a tone of hopefulness it tugged at April’s heartstrings. “Yes. Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course a Christian camp has to be called Camp Righteous! (I know nothing about Christian camps)
> 
> I couldn't let these two go back to hating each other! The best romantic relationships begin with a friendship.


	3. The Heart Grows Older But Never Ever Learns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sterling convinces April to enter the Junior Georgia Peach Christian Baking Championship with her, and they discuss their ideas for the competition with Ellen Johnson. April gives Sterling the good news that John Stevens has moved out of the house.

Over the next month, Sterling and April settled into a comfortable existence around each other. They would greet each other in the hallways and occasionally work together in classes. Sterling was friendly towards April. Very friendly. Almost _too_ friendly. April tried to remain a little standoffish for the sake of appearances but found it difficult - and unnecessary. Nobody seemed particularly interested in their interactions. Her heart still skipped a beat and she couldn’t help but feel butterflies in her stomach every time the blonde was near.

One afternoon when classes were over Sterling practically launched herself down the hall to end up at April’s locker, where the shorter girl was removing some books to take home.

“Hey - April!” Sterling’s eyes were shining, and she was obviously excited. April made herself promise she would not get lost in the blue orbs, but attempt to pay attention to Sterling’s actual words.

“Hello Sterling.” April tried, but couldn’t hide her happiness at seeing Sterling. Her enthusiasm tended to be contagious. And she was so _pretty_. And she smelled like…what was it - coconuts - and something else. Maybe lime? She recalled Sterling raving about a particular lotion from Body Works at the local mall. It was a delicious combination.

April’s mouth curved up to the left in a lopsided smile. “What has you all in a kerfuffle?”

“The Junior Georgia Peach Christian Baking Championship is coming to Atlanta!!! There’s going to be preliminary bake-offs between representatives of private schools in the Florida-Georgia area. It’s gonna be so fun!!!”

“Really? That’s interesting. Is Willingham going to participate? When is the competition?”

“It’s in one month - just for Willingham, to find out who the official baking representatives will be. I just talked to Ellen! She said we could enter - together, I mean. As a team!!! I know you are such a great baker and I’m not too bad myself. You can take the lead and I can be your assistant! Remember that chocolate cake I made in eighth grade Home Economics?”

April recalled that the cake, while not an unqualified success aesthetically, was said to actually be quite tasty according to the unrefined palate of Luke Cresswell. “Wait a minute.” April’s voice contained a note of caution, though she was very pleased that Sterling had heard of her baking prowess. “You already signed us up? Sterling, I’ve got tons of work to do in the next month! I don’t know if I have time to find recipes or practice or…”

Sterling played her trump card. “The finalists get to meet Anthony Adams and Mary Berry at the nationwide competition of The Great American Baking Show in December!”

The stately Mary Berry was a British baking legend, a host of the Great British Baking Show, and one of April’s idols. Sterling knew April would be unable to resist the challenge.

“Well, I guess I could make some time for baking. We’ll have to do a lot of practicing. And we need to be serious about it, Sterling. No flour fights or other ‘teenage hijinks’.” (April used air quotes here). Her tone was earnest but her face couldn’t hide her excitement at getting to spend time with Sterling. But even this couldn’t preclude her natural bossiness.

“First we need to talk to Ellen about recipes. We’ll have to pick something that showcases our strengths, and maybe even something representational of the great state of Georgia! Let’s see…I know - peaches! Something with them, I mean.”

“I knew you’d have great ideas!” Sterling said. “So, practicing…do you want to come over to my house this weekend? Or do you prefer using yours….” Sterling’s voice trailed off, not wanting to mention the obvious difficulty of using April’s house, what with John Steven’s vendetta against the Wesley twins and April’s nervousness at the likelihood of her father picking up on the electricity between the two girls.

“Actually, we can use my house. My father just moved out three days ago! He and my mom are getting a divorce, so he’s staying at the lake house. My mother and I actually had a good talk last night. Not, I mean, about my sexuality or anything like that, but about her alcoholism and her relationship with my dad. She joined Alcoholics Anonymous two weeks ago and has a sponsor she frequently communicates with. She’s working the twelve steps.”

“Oh, April, that’s fantastic! I’m so happy for you!” Sterling clapped her hands together.

“She even said she wouldn’t mind if I had some friends over once in awhile, now that she and my father aren’t fighting all the time. So I think it would be fine if you came over.” April didn’t mention the other reason she preferred to work at her own house - the lack of Blair Wesley, who still treated April with a combination of suspicion and hostility.

Sterling beamed at April like a kid who had just gotten a pony. She moved forward as if to hug April but checked herself at the last moment.

April was suddenly remorseful. She should have given Sterling that news about her parents earlier. Maybe they could have talked about getting back together. But she had been busy with school, hadn’t she? April didn’t want to face the real reason she hadn’t told Sterling - which was that she had recently become rather afraid. Afraid Sterling might have decided that while they could be friends, April wasn’t worth the trouble as a girlfriend. She was also afraid to let herself be vulnerable again. Being with Sterling had made her softer and susceptible to hurt. The night she broke up with Sterling, even though she knew she had done it for necessary reasons, _two_ hearts were broken. April may have been the catalyst but she didn’t survive the event unscathed.

“Thanks. It’s going to be an adjustment - but a welcome one - for sure.”

“Well, let’s go talk to Ellen about recipes.” Sterling turned from April and practically skipped down the hall. April hurried to catch up. They arrived, breathless, at Ellen’s office. The slim, bubbly teacher’s face shone when her two favorites walked in.

“My superstars!” Ellen clasped her hands together in front of her body. “Y’all are going to bring home the JGP…JPG…JGPCBC baking championship to Willingham!”

Both girls giggled at the way Ellen stumbled over the ungainly acronym. “Yes Miss Johnson!” they exclaimed in unison.

“Are we the only Willingham students in the competition?” Sterling asked.

“Actually, no. There’s Franklin, who will be working with Anna. Luke Cresswell and Lorna are going to enter as well. Luke asked if he could work with you, Sterling, but I told him you had partnered up with April. The poor boy. He really does act like a whipped dog when it comes to you.”

Sterling felt badly for Luke, now that she knew how it felt to lose someone you had once lov-…there was that word again, creeping up where she had not intended it to. I meant _had feelings for_ , Sterling told herself. Someone you had feelings for. Losing April had felt like losing a limb, and that was just after one week of them being together. She couldn’t even imagine how painful it must feel to lose someone you loved after being together for many years. Poor Luke.

April interrupted Sterling’s inner monologue. “We thought we should make something with peaches for our signature bake.” said April. “Something no one else will think of doing. Something really difficult!”

“Well, how about a souffle?” Ellen suggested. “I’ve tried to make them before and they aways sink like rocks. They’re hard! But remember, you also have to do a showstopper project and the technical challenge, just like they do on the show. It’s worth it, though - there’s scholarship money on the line.”

April took off on Ellen’s idea. “Yes! A peach souffle! Of course! Challenging, yet not impossible for those of us who truly understand the chemistry behind the manner in which to successfullyblend the souffle mixture so it will rise enough in the oven. It’s risky but a shrewd choice. I think it will propel us to the semifinals, at least. I saw a recipe for one in Martha Stewart Magazine’s Southern Edition.”

Sterling couldn’t hide her smile. She really liked it when April took charge of a situation. It was…sexy, really. Sterling suddenly recalled the first time she ever "found out what made her vagina tick" (as Blair so aptly put it). Alone in the school storage closet, touching herself while imagining April taking charge - shaking her arm, berating her. She turned red and coughed, prompting April to glance at her.

“Sterling, are you okay?” April’s tone was gentle. She feared the return of a panic attack.

Sterling felt a little ridiculous but could not control the warmth that spread through her chest at April’s concern. “Yes, sorry. Just breathed my air wrong in the…wrong air tube?”

“Well, you want to take very good care of your trachea. And try to keep breathing.” April looked directly at Sterling, and Sterling could _swear_ that was the ghost of a wink in April’s eye.

“We need to delineate our practicing regimen.” Sterling knew April would schedule and carry out baking practice with military-style precision.

April muttered to herself as they walked away. “We’ll need to know how to flawlessly execute a mousse, a creme patisserie, different types of sponge cake, a choux pastry…”

“A _shoe_ pastry??? Sterling pictured a cake in the shape of a giant pair of Nikes. “Do the judges have some sort of sneaker fetish?”

“No, silly. Not shoe, choux - with an ‘x’. It’s a French word for a light, crispy pastry made with flour, eggs, butter and water. It’s used for chocolate eclairs, among other things. Contestants always have to make them on the baking shows.”

“I’m really glad we’re doing this together!” said Sterling. “If I had to do it myself it would be a guaranteed disaster. But since you’re a master baker”, Sterling giggled a bit at the sound of that “we’re sure to win!”

Sterling’s adolescent joke garnered an eye roll from April, but her praise couldn’t help but launch April’s spirits upwards. She blushed prettily and started to stammer a response. This was quickly curtailed when she saw Blair coming down the corridor towards them. She ducked away. “See you tomorrow!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't feel up to writing the John Stevens drama so conveniently got rid of him.


	4. The Memories Smolder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and Sterling have their first baking practice, and Sterling admits that she and Blair aren't really sisters. April comforts her.

Sterling and April began practice-baking their peach souffle and showstopper cake the next day. April told Sterling that on Saturdays her mother had two AA meetings - one a general group and the other a special womens group - after which she would meet privately with her sponsor. This gave the girls a large block of interrupted time in which to bake.

They knew it would be difficult to practice for the technical portion of the competition. The JGPCBC was to follow the format of the American and British baking shows. The judges would give contestants only a general recipe for an obscure baked item, often a foreign delicacy no one had ever heard of. Contestants would have to follow the recipe as well as they could, creating a final product as similar in looks and taste as was possible to what they believed the judges intended. 

The technical tended to weed out the merely good bakers from the true experts. The actual recipe would be unknown by contestants beforehand, so all the girls could do was practice a few general concepts, such as making merengues or sponge cakes, and hope that April’s finely honed baking smarts would get them through with flying colors.

Their showstopper needed to be a masterpiece, as the last event of the baking contest required the final product to be both challenging and unforgettable. They decided on a six-layer “Peaches and Cream” cake with a browned butter buttercream frosting. Elements between the cake layers would be peach jam over the first and third layers, a vanilla cream over the second and fourth layers, and peach mousse over the fifth. A fondant outline of a peach tree would sit atop the frosted top layer, and mini peach decorations would be constructed out of marzipan and strategically placed around and on top of the cake.

On their first baking practice day, Sterling stopped at the Piggly Wiggly to get two dozen eggs - the souffle would go through them rapidly. As she drove over to April’s house for the first time since the fifth grade, she allowed herself to indulge in memories of the private times she and April had shared the past semester The wonderful new sensations that being with April had given her, that one glorious week when she had still felt whole, right before her world fell apart.

Sterling had loved Luke, she knew that. They had been together for seven years. But while she was attracted to him and happy to be with him, the longer they were together the more often little creeping doubts came into her head - she felt like something was missing. Some fundamental element was just…off.

When she and Luke would make out, Sterling would feel turned on enough that she would encourage Luke to touch her - over her jeans at first, and then later on when she was more daring, under them. He was clumsy, ultra nervous to touch her and unfamiliar with female geography. She knew this wasn’t his fault. But these episodes were unsatisfying, and the longer she went without achieving an actual orgasm the more frustrated she became. Having sex with Luke had seemed to her the next logical step in their relationship. The closeness of the act had been…nice, if not exactly the earth-shattering event she had imagined it would be.

She and April had never gotten that far. But there was the way April had looked at her in the backseat of the Volt the night she said she wanted to “ravage” Sterling. It was a gaze filled with both intense devotion and a ferocious passion. Where Luke had been gentle he had also been uncoordinated. April had been gentle with precision and focus, but also with the promise of a future reckless abandon. Sterling had no doubt that April knew just where to touch Sterling to make her come undone, and that at some not too distant point, if their relationship had been allowed to continue unchecked, April would have absolutely devoured her and she would have happy reciprocated.

Sterling shook her head, ridding her brain of the fantasy. Today she needed to keep her mind on baking. She turned into the driveway of the Stevens mansion, parked as unobtrusively as possible, and rang the front doorbell.

April opened almost immediately. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she wore tight jeans with holes in the knees and a camisole partially covered by a light green buttonup. It matched her eyes beautifully, thought Sterling, trying hopelessly to keep her eyes from drifting downwards towards April’s cleavage.

April smiled - a little shyly, thought Sterling. “Hi Sterl! Come on in!”

“Hi April! I brought eggs!” It came out as a squeak. Sterling shook her head in despair. Why did April’s presence turn her into such an idiot? April was kind enough to ignore it, and Sterling followed her through the Stevens’ cavernous living room into the kitchen. A couple of recipe books sat on the counter. April had set out flour, butter, sugar, and some mixing bowls.

“Let’s start out with the souffle. We’ll read the recipe first, make sure we understand exactly what we need to do. Then start mixing ingredients.”

The girls worked well together, Sterling seemed to anticipate April’s need for ingredients and equipment prior to April even telling her. They didn’t discuss their relationship or breakup, but Sterling did tell April about the true relationship between herself and Blair. April was shocked.

“What do you mean, you aren’t sisters? She’s more of a sister to you than anyone else in the world. You’re closer than any other siblings I know. It’s actually a little creepy. You two even seem to have this weird way of communicating without speaking aloud.”

“But technically we aren’t sisters. And now I don’t know where I belong. Or even who my father is.” Sterling’s eyes were watery, her lip trembling, and April wished she could just wrap her up and kiss the stricken expression off of her face. She held her arms out and walked towards Sterling.

“Come here.” Sterling fell into April’s arms and April held her close, speaking soothingly. “It’s okay, Sterling. Listen to me: children who are adopted _have_ real parents - the people who adopted them. Your parents have loved you since you were a tiny baby and have never stopped. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t closely biologically related. I know you must have questions about your biological origins, but please never doubt who your _real_ family is. And that goes double for Blair. She _is_ your sister.”

“I mean, I know that in my brain,” Sterling sniffled, “But my heart tells me differently. It’s hard to reconcile the two.” 

April ran her hand down the back of Sterling’s hair, stroking it gently, grounding her. She had missed the smell of Sterling’s coconut shampoo and the light floral perfume she always wore. “Are you still talking to the counselor you mentioned? Does she help you work through these feelings?”

“Yes, it helps. She tells me the same thing you did about family. I’ve been seeing her since the end of last semester.” Sterling’s feelings of sadness ebbed, as she seemed to suddenly realize that she was encased in April’s arms. She stopped speaking and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around April’s waist, reveling in the moment. Her mind drifted back to the night they made out in the back seat of the Volt - the softness of April’s skin, the firmness of her body pressed up agains Sterling’s, the kisses that left them both breathless.

The front door slammed and the girls jumped apart. April’s mother stuck her head into the kitchen. “Hi girls! Honey, does Hannah want to stay for…Oh - Sterling Wesley! It’s been so long since you’ve been around! I didn’t know y’all were still friends.”

“Hi Mrs. Stevens,” Sterling said tentatively. “We’re just finishing up baking practice for the Junior Georgia Peach Christian Baking Championship. I’ll be back next weekend.”

As Hannah B was not the second female in the kitchen, a dinner invitation did not appear to be forthcoming. “It’s nice to see you again, Sterling.” Mrs. Stevens seemed a bit hesitant here. “You and April should make a decent” Mrs. Stevens couldn’t bring herself to use the word ‘good’ in association with a Wesley, “team.”

If she only knew what kind of a team we _used_ to be, mused April. She desperately hoped that one day she might feel safe enough to bring a girlfriend home to meet her mother - and that the girlfriend could be Sterling Wesley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Souffles are difficult, y'all.


	5. The Soul Always Yearns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sterling and April practice baking for the JGPCBC and get a little closer.

The baking contest was to be held on a Saturday. On the Friday beforehand there was a school holiday so the girls were able to practice. Sterling arrived at April’s house at her customary time of about 11:30. Today they were to do a final timed practice of their “showstopper” peaches and cream cake. It was a challenging project because of the need for attention to every little detail. Making the cake itself wasn’t that difficult but the decorations took up a lot of time.

Sterling was in charge of sifting cake flour and bored quickly of the task. April kept feeling the need to give more instruction than Sterling felt was necessary. A mischievous gleam came into Sterling’s eyes and she “booped” April’s nose with a floury finger.

“Sterling!” Two could play that game. April stuck her hands into the flour container and put them up to Sterling’s face, rubbing it slightly. Sterling laughed. She really did love it when April let herself be silly. One of April’s hands dropped, and she was left caressing Sterling’s maxilla as she had the night of their first date. Sterling stopped breathing.

Sterling was so close and she smelled so good. Her smile was intoxicating. April wanted to kiss her so badly. She sighed. Now was not the time. “Can we focus please? We’ve got to be able to make this cake in just four hours at the competition. It’s called a showstopper for a reason. We’ve got to knock this one out of the park.”

“Mmm…I love it when you lesbians use sports metaphors.” snarked Sterling. April rolled her eyes.

“Just concentrate on your sifting, Wesley.”

“You know, instead of making a peach cake we should be making a rainbow cake, celebrating our people.” Sterling couldn’t help goading April a bit.

April’s eyes rolled but surprisingly seemed to consider Sterling’s proposal. “It’s actually not a horrible idea in general. I would love to show those so-called ‘Christians’ that their daughters’ - and sons’ for that matter - sexuality comes in every different color of the rainbow. Women are not all going to get married to men and suffer a lifetime of mindless country club boredom and joyless sex.”

“Mindless boredom…Joyless sex? Married women don’t have orgasms?”

“You know what I mean. I would very much doubt it if any of my mom’s friends have had an orgasm in the last ten years.”

Sterling choked. “How do you know this?”

“I hear them talking at my mom’s book club meetings every month. Their husbands cheat on them, much like my father does, and they stay faithful and unfulfilled. I doubt if any of them even have vibrators.”

April had always spoken pretty frankly about sex, but Sterling was still a bit surprised - and titillated.

“Do you?”

"Do I what?"

Sterling's smirk was barely perceptible. "Have a vibrator, of course!"

“Sterling Wesley! Of course not.”

Sterling grinned. “Well - have you ever had an orgasm?”

April turned five shades of red. “I’m not going to answer that. I presume you have, though.”

Sterling nodded hesitantly, and April, thinking of Luke, looked a little saddened.

“It’s not what you think. It had nothing to do with Luke. It DID have something to do with you.”

April was intrigued. She indulged in a fleeting image of Sterling underneath her, panting and unraveled. The image took her breath away and she closed her eyes momentarily.

“It was after the debate with Craig Wu. You were so angry with me and you grabbed my arm to make your point. When you stormed off, I…I was incredibly turned on. So I ran into the janitor’s closet and…well, um, I - you know. While I was thinking about you grabbing my arm. It was the first time that had ever happened.”

All April could choke out was “Noted…”

Sterling was please at having rattled April and given her something to think about. “We should probably get back to making our cake, hmm?”

It was a little after six pm when the final dot of icing was carefully dabbed into place. April’s mother was doing a weekend workshop for AA so would not be coming home. April casually suggested getting takeout and watching reruns of The Great British Baking Show.

“Great idea! But maybe a movie, instead? I’ll fall asleep if I have to watch any more flour sifting.A girl needs some diversity in her day, you know. I’ll just send Blair a text to let mom and dad know.”

Sterling sent the text. Immediately Blair binged back.

Blair: wtf? y u still there if ur done w practice? u try to get ur heart broken again? im coming over to teach stevens a lesson

Sterling: no!!! its not like that. things going well. please Blair. i missed her.

Blair knew all too well the sadness Sterling still carried inside her from the breakup, the kidnapping, and the family revelations. She hated that her sister had suffered so much and wanted whatever made her happy again. It was just too bad that right now what was helping Sterling was coming from her prior nemesis who had then become the girl who broke her heart.

Blair: ok but i will beat her up if u ask

Sterling: luv u 2 pieces sis

The girls got Chinese food delivered and filled their plates, carrying them into the family room in front of the television. April grabbed a DVD.

“Your choice: Star Wars Episode Four or Star Wars Episode Four - that’s the first one. I know you haven’t seen it or any of the others, which is crazy by the way.”

Sterling rolled her eyes and chuckled. She had known that April was a science fiction fiend but they had never discussed it. She found it adorably nerdy. “Okay, fine. Star Wars it is.”

They settled back onto the couch, each at one end, watching the movie and eating Chinese food. When they had finished, April got up and took the plates into the kitchen. Upon returning, she casually sat down on the middle couch cushion, much nearer to Sterling than previously. This was encouraging to Sterling so she staged a shiver.

“It’s kinda cold in here. Should we get a blanket?”

April grabbed a blanket and draped it over them. She inched a little closer to Sterling, who leaned over and put her head on April’s shoulder, closing her eyes. “Is this okay?” she whispered hopefully. April nodded. It was so nice to have Sterling next to her, a feeling that combined the soft comfort of familiarity with the electrical energy that had always crackled between them.

Sterling’s hand was resting on the cushion between them. April gently slid her hand next to Sterling’s, softly rubbing their two pinky fingers together. Deciding to be even more daring, she picked up Sterling’s hand, intertwining their fingers. Sterling didn’t open her eyes, but her smile contained a multitude of emotions. They sat together like that until the movie ended, and when Sterling went to leave the house, April surprised her with a huge bear hug which seemed to go on forever, but still wasn’t long enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you are enjoying Stepril's journey as much as I am. One more chapter to go.


	6. After the Fire, the Fire Still Burns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sterling and April compete in the Junior Georgia Peach Christian Baking Championship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter. I really enjoyed writing for these characters - giving them the ending that Netflix cheated us out of. Stupid Netflix!

The JGPCBC preliminary elimination competition for Willingham’s official representatives was held in the Home Economics classroom. Home Ec had been required only for female students when Sterling and April had begun at Willingham. But Ellen Johnson had successfully lobbied for requiring the class for male students as well, arguing that with the current divorce rate men were going to need to be able to fend for themselves in the kitchen if they didn’t want to starve to death.

There were three teams in the preliminary competition. Luke and Lorna were using the counter next to Sterling and April, Franklin and Anna were behind them. Luke’s face lit up when he saw Sterling. April groaned inwardly as he made his way over and stood far too close to Sterling.

“Hi Sterling! I’m so glad you are in this competition. I wish we could have worked together though. You look great!”

Luke’s face was bent over Sterling’s as he hugged her. April’s low growl was barely discernible.

“Remember when you made that cake for me? It was so yummy! It made me think about what I planned for our wedding cake…” Luke’s voice trailed off awkwardly but he didn’t relinquish his hold on the Wesley twin.

“Sterling, if you and Luke are quite finished fondling each other I could use some help here.”

Embarrassed, Sterling broke from Luke’s embrace and he made his way back to his teammate.

“April, that’s just Luke’s way. It doesn’t mean anything. Please don’t be mad.”

April’s voice was clipped. “It’s fine, Sterling. Why would I be mad? I get it. There’s still feelings there.”

“Not on my part! Honestly! Please don’t think that.” April could hear the anguish in Sterling’s voice but remained aloof.

“Let’s just get started, okay?”

The competition began with the two-hour Signature Bake. April and a subdued Sterling tied on their aprons and secured their hair with scrunchies. Then they set to work, moving down April’s checklist and marking off each completed task. Sterling whipped the egg whites with a professional flair, and the blending and baking went well.

The peach souffle wasn’t the disaster Ellen had feared, and the finished product sat tall and proud for the judges, garnering high marks.

The Technical Challenge required production of twelve chocolate eclairs. April was very thankful she had reviewed making choux pastry a couple of weeks back. The girls set to work boiling and beating the dough, then slowly adding in the eggs. April carefully piped the raw pastry onto the baking sheets and stuck them in the oven. Then they got to work on the chocolate glaze for the tops and creme patisserie for the middles. There was a near disaster when Sterling dropped the bowl of creme pat on the floor, but as it didn’t break and not too much was spilled, April didn’t make too much of a fuss about it beyond a hard stare in Sterling’s direction. The pastry turned plump and crisp in the oven, the creme pat was pumped into the pastry thick and creamy and delicious, and the chocolate glaze was applied with two minutes to spare.

The girls swept the Technical Challenge. The remaining challenge was the Showstopper, for which they had only four hours. Both girls were tired from the previous baking, but were determined to put all of their efforts into creating a masterpiece. They needed to make the actual sponge cake layers, a peach jam for filling two of the layers, a vanilla mousse for the middle layer, peach decorations and browned buttercream frosting. The frosting would need to be carefully piped onto the cake to make the best possible impression on the judges.

Sterling solemnly sifted flour and sugar, and weighed/measured out all of the ingredients for the cakes. Then she set to work boiling up the peach jam while April crafted tiny little orange-tinted marzipan peaches for the cake’s decoration.

April’s buttercream piping around the cake was rapid and precise, and then the challenge was over. The cake looked fantastic, elegant on its crystal stand.

“Wow you guys! Your cake looks great! Good job Sterling!” Luke came barreling towards Sterling with outstretched arms, intent on giving her a huge hug. She backed up slightly and Luke slammed into her, pushing her towards the countertop. Sterling’s right arm hit the cake tray. Their showstopper teetered and then made a nose dive to the floor. April’s face took on a dangerous color.

“Damn it, Sterling! Couldn’t you keep your idiotic boyfriend away for _one_ day? Our cake is ruined!”

Sterling’s face crumpled. She burst into tears and tore out of the room. Calming a bit, April mentally kicked herself for berating Sterling. She hadn’t asked for a hug from Luke and it wasn’t her fault. Luke was such an oaf. Sterling had said that she didn’t have feelings for himbeyond friendship.Why couldn’t April just accept that? How could she treat Sterling so badly? It only took her a minute to make a decision.

“Team Wesley-Stevens hereby forfeits the competition.” said April formally, removing her apron and placing it on the countertop. She then darted out of the room and ran down the hall. She had to find Sterling.

After several minutes of searching, April located Sterling in an unused classroom surrounded by old desks and piles of books. Her arms were tightly wrapped around herself and she was crying as if her heart would break. She looked up as April came towards her.

“Sterling - I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t your fault. I overreacted. Please forgive me.”

“I just can’t seem to get it right with you.” Sterling’s tears fell freely onto her shirt. “It’s not just the cake. I know I messed things up when we were together by pushing you too hard to come out. And I hurt you by arresting your father. I thought things were going well for us lately - we’ve been able to be friends…kind of. We were spending more time together. I thought we were getting closer. At your house when we were watching the movie…I was hoping…I really wanted to -”

She choked up and couldn’t finish the sentence. April’s heart cracked at the sight.

“I told you I don’t have feelings for Luke. I was intimate with him in the past and I _can’t change that_. If I could, I would. For you. For us.” 

“I fucked up our cake and lost us the competition - I know how important it was to you. And now you won’t get to meet Mary Berry. I’m so _so_ sorry.”

April put her arms around the taller girl and she rested her head on April’s shoulder. She knew then that any stupid trophy or even scholarship money were nothing compared to the absolute bliss that she felt when she was with Sterling Wesley. Sterling felt like home. She was the only thing that mattered.

Sterling continued. “When I broke up with Luke I didn’t really know what he was feeling - how it felt to lose someone you loved. But that night at the lock-in when you broke up with me, I learned how it felt to _hurt_. Losing you was like losing a part of myself. And then after the kidnapping and finding out about my family - it was almost too much for me to cope. I did my best to push thoughts of you away. But in my weaker moments you crept in around the edges. Every time I remembered kissing you it was like a sharp, new cut.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I still want to be with you. Nobody has ever made me feel what you make me feel. I was with Luke for years and I was always wishing I could _feel_ more for him. I was only with you for a week. But during that week I was completely consumed with you. I didn’t know it was possible to feel _so much_ for someone. Everything in my mind was you. Even now - and we aren’t even together - I feel it; this attraction, this heat, this tension between us. But maybe you don’t. Maybe you would rather meet someone else next year at college and not bother with me. If that’s the case, I need to know. Please, April. It hurt too much to lose you once. I can’t go through it again.”

April’s couldn’t bear Sterling’s tears, especially knowing she was their cause. Everything she had been so afraid of - it all paled in comparison to the elation of being with the girl in front of her.

“Sterling…for me, it’s you. Since the fifth grade it’s been you. It’s always been you. It’s always going to _be_ you. The time we were together was the best week of my life. I had never been so happy. The past month we’ve been getting along well as friends, and I didn’t want to ruin that. I’ve just been so afraid to let myself try to take the next step with you. But I know I can’t keep pushing my feelings away.”

“I can’t offer you what Luke could - I don’t think we can be “out”, at least not at school. I don’t know if you’ll still want me if all I can offer you is a secret romance. I don’t feel like I have the right to ask this - but could you be please patient with me? And for my part I’m going to try to be braver, okay? And some day we _will_ be able to show the world how we feel about each other. Until then can we at least discuss coming out to individual people before actually doing it? Together?” April put her hands up to Sterling’s face, softly running her thumbs over the tear tracks.

“I love you, Sterling Wesley. Will you be with me - now and maybe forever?”

Happiness was overflowing from Sterling like the creme patisserie that had filled their eclairs. She didn’t hesitate. “I love you, too. You make me so happy. Yes, April Stevens, I will be with you - now and maybe forever.”

April drew her closer and kissed her, and the world melted away into a haze where there was only Sterling. _Sterling Sterling Sterling_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for coming along on Stepril's journey with me. They deserve happiness. I was worried that my writing might be a little dry, as I'm still refining my technique. I'll try to make my next ff a little more...moist. Lol.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Your comments are welcomed. This is my first foray into fiction for many years so please be kind. Because I've only seen the show once but have read a lot of the fan fiction here, I'm a little fuzzy on a few details - which are canon and which I've read in other FF (for instance, the character Jamie). I'm really trying my best!  
> I'm so angry that this show got cancelled by stupid netflix. Here's hoping it gets picked up by another network! We need at least one more season!!!  
> I'm on twitter @JandjPalms if you'd like to visit.


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